Question: What is the Women Build program?
Answer: The Women Build program seeks to bring in new resources to further the home-building mission of ACHFH. Women Build provides opportunities for women to learn and grow on Habitat job sites, collects information regarding the strengths and challenges of its women partners, and uses each experience to further improve the program.

Question: Why have Women Build? Can’t women learn construction on a regular Habitat site?
Answer: Construction is still a male-dominated field, and even smart, otherwise skilled women can end up being assigned tasks such as painting, landscaping and cleaning up the site. But on a Women Build site, women are encouraged by other women to tackle all aspects of construction and quickly become more skilled and engaged volunteers.

Question: How can I get involved with the Women Build program?
Answer: The Aiken County Habitat for Humanity Women Build Program began the 12th Women Build house in Aiken County in March 2020. To join and/or help our Women Build Committee in planning for fundraising and construction, contact our Volunteer Coordinator at (803) 642-9295, option 5.

Question: What is the Women Build training program?
Answer: The Women Build training program teaches women volunteers and partner families how to construct decent, affordable housing with Habitat affiliates worldwide. Free training clinics are offered at Lowe’s of Aiken in conjunction with each build in Aiken County. For more information about the next series of clinics, contact our Volunteer Coordinator at (803) 642-9295, option 5.

Question: Why are you excluding men? Is there a “Men Build” department, too?
Answer: Women Build is not about excluding men. It is about including women and opening new doors of opportunity. Men are often involved in our projects in supportive oversight roles and as subcontractors. Men who are volunteering as part of a team from a woman-owned company are also welcome on Women Build sites. A Women Build site is a welcoming, friendly place where no one need feel handicapped by gender or ability.

Question: Why is Habitat promoting feminist issues?
Answer: Decent, affordable housing is not a feminist issue; it is a quality of life and basic human dignity issue facing families, men, women and children everywhere. Habitat’s Women Build program has one mission and that is to empower women to take action against poverty housing conditions. Women Build brings together women from all walks of life to address in a concrete way the housing crisis facing families in Aiken County.

Question: How do homeowners feel about their homes being built by women?
Answer: Women Build projects are completed on the same schedule and blueprints as other Habitat builds and are subjected to the same quality controls and inspections. For single women heads of household, a Women Build is even more engaging and empowering. Women and men alike have great respect and gratitude for the women volunteers and for the skills they acquire working side by side.  The homeowners are thrilled to finally have a home.

Question: What do you do if there is a male homeowner candidate?
Answer: Male homeowner candidates build right alongside women volunteers.
For more information, contact our Volunteer Coordinator at (803) 642-9295, option 5.